Switch-rod.



H. M. MITCHELL.

SWITCH BOD.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18, 1908 919,056. I Patented Apr. 20, 1909.

WITNESSES a I INVENTOI? f HARRY M. MITCHELL ATTORNEYS 1m NORRIS PETERS co, uusnmcmu. n. c.

HARRY MORON I MITCHELL, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

SWITCH-ROD Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 20, 1909.

Application filed June 16, 1908. Serial No. 438,767.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY MORONI MITCH- ELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake and State of Utah, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Switch-Rods, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to switch rods for use on railway switches, and its principal object is to provide a yielding rod which will allow the switch to be run through by a car from either direction without damaging the switch points or breaking the operating connections; and after being passed, the switch points will automatically resume the normal closed position. To this end the improved rod is made in sections with a spring between, the spring being held in a novel manner and the rod sections being so constructed as to maintain correct alinement and position, and adjustable to take up any slack and to properly make the connection between the switch point and the stand.

The device is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan of the rod. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a cross section on line 33 of Fig. 1.

One part or section of the rod is indicated at 4, consisting of a rod or bar preferably of round metal and provided with perforated ears 5 at one end for attachment to the operating member of the switch stand. At the other end it has threads 6 to receive a nut 7, the threaded portion being long enough to permit reasonable adjustment. Between the ends it has an integral collar 8, and the length of the rod may be varied according to local conditions. Another part or section of the rod consists of a yoke member with two opposite branches 9 united at one end into a single bar 10 which is threaded as at 11 to receive one end of a turn-buckle 12 the other end of which is screwed on to threads 13 on one end of a bar 14 the other end of which has perforated cars 15 to connect to the head rod of the switch. The bars 10 and 14 are flattened as at 16 to receive set screws 17 by means of which the turn-buckle may be held at adjustment without injury to the threads. The turn-buckle permits adjustment to fit the rod to the switch.

The ends of the branches 9 are threaded as j at 18 to receive nuts 19 held at adjustment by set screws 20 which take against flattened surfaces 2]. to likewise avoid mutilating the threads.

The rod section 4 is connected to the branches 9 of the yoke by cross plates 22 and 23 which are perforated at the middle to allow the rod section to pass therethrough and at the ends for the branches 9, the perforations having collars 24 around the same, to give a wide bearing and prevent binding. The plate 22 backs against the nuts 19 and the plate 23 against collais 25 on the branches 9. A spring 26 is coiled around the rod 1, between said plates and by its compression or extension permits variation in the length of the rod, being normally extended to the limit permitted by the nuts 19, which may be adjusted as desired to vary the tension.

In use, the rod will be set and adjusted in the connections between the switch stand and point, and when the switch is run through the pressure will. compress the spring 26 and shorten the rod enough to allow the point to open, and after the wheel passes the spring Wlll expand and return the point to closed position. When the spring is compressed or expanded the plates 23 will slide on the rod or branches toward or from each other.

I claim 1. A switch rod formed of parts having flattened and threaded ends, a turn-buckle connecting said ends, and set screws in the turn-buckle, bearing against the flattened sides of the ends, to lock the turn-buckle at adjustment.

A switch rod comprising a rod having a collar thereon and threaded at one end to receive an adjusting nut, a yoke having branches on opposite sides of the rod, said branches having collars and being threaded at the ends to receive adjusting nuts, )lates having holes through which the ro and branches extend, which plates are slidable toward and from each other and stop against said collars and nuts, and a spring coiled around the rod between the plates.

HARRY MORONI MITCHELL.

Witnesses:

A. D. Prnnson, F. J. MITCHELL. 

